The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-05
The Old Year.


man interest which has not been stimu-
lated to an exceptional degree at some
period of its course. AS individuals
the American people can probably con-
template the last twelve months with
more than usual satisfaction, for a
long period of business depression has
been succeeded by favorable conditions
of material prosperity. The harvests
have been abundant, wages are good,
business men are active and hopeful
and all the future prospects of the peo-
pie and of the republic especially fair
and assuring. While there have been
few occurrences of an unusual charac-
ter in 1886 to distinguish it from the
many that eventually make up the long
cycles of time, it has a long record of
notable events, of which we will now
give brief summary
In the United States the year was re-
markable for industrial agitation, while
Europe has been in ferment of po-
litical activity. Affairs at Washington
have been of unusual interest. The
events of most importance were the
senate controversy with the President
over appointments and removals; the
failure of the Morrison tariff reduction
bill; the passage of laws to regulate
the presidential succession and to tax
oleomargarine the Presidents vetoes
of numerous pension bills; the tele-
phone scandal: controversies with Great
Britain over the fishery troubles and
with Mexico over the Cutting affair,
and the Presidents marriage to Miss
Folsom. Labor agitation and conflicts
continued through the year, and APP
parently without accomplishing any
great results, except to retard business
prosperity. The worst results of the
movement were experienced in the
anarchist riots in Chicago and Mil
waukee, At the present time the
Knights of Labor and trades-unions
are in conflict, and the collapse of both
organizations is threatened. The au-
tumn elections were generally more
favorable to the republicans than to the
democrats. An interesting event of
the year was the erection and dedica-
ton of Bartholdi's colossal statue of
Liberty. The corruption of the alder
manic council in New York city was
fully exposed and two of their number
convicted.
The year abroad was an eventful one.
Burmah was annexed to the British
empire. In January the Salisbury
ministry resigned and Gladstone once
more assumed charge of the affairs of
Great Britain. An appeal to the coun-
try resulted in the defeat of the liber-
ais, when Mr.. Gladstone retired from
the government and was again sue
ceeded by Lord Salisbury, whose govern
ment now occupies an unstable posi-
tion-having been greatly weakened by
the resignation of Lord Randolph
Churchill of the office of chancellor of
the eXchequer. In France the De
Freycinet cabinet, formed in January,
was succeeded by new ministry in
December. OF other important events
abroad may be mentioned the forced
abdication of Prince Alexander of Bull
garia; the deposition and suicide of
King Ludwig of Bavaria; the expulsion
of the French princes; the emancipa-
ton Of the remaining slaves in Cuba;
the futile warlike preparations in
Greece; the defeat of Mr.. Parnell's
land bill, and the anti-rent troubles in
Ireland. There is only one of the ma
tions on the Continent that is not max
ing war preparations, yet at the close
of the year it is announced that the
Gar is averse to war and that Aus
trian feeling is more pacific.
There is the usual long list of dis
tinguished dead, both in this country
and abroad The most notable names
in American neurology are those of ex-
President Arthur, General Logan,
Samuel j. Tilden, Horatio Seymour,
General Hancock, Charles Francis Adj
ans, David Davis, John Welsh, David
r. Atchison, Senator Pike of New
Hampshire, David l.. Yulee, Durbin
Ward, ex-senator Chaffee of Colorado,
John Kelly, Erastus Brooks, John b.
Cough, Mrs. Ann S. Stephens, George
Vanderhoff, Rev. Calvin E. Stowe,
Rev. DR.. r. b. Campbell, Ward Hunt,
Richard M. Hoe, II. M. HoXie, j. B.
Lippincott, Drs. Austin Flint, bio
Lewis and Frank II. Hamilton, Gen
eral David Hunter, Rear-admiral Wor-
den, Rev. Robert West, Moses A.
Dow, John Dougall of the New York
Witness, John Esten Cooke, and
Colonel Charles G. Greene, founder of
the Boston Post The old world has
lost Ludwig III. of Bavaria; Won Beust,
the Austrian statesman; DIR. Fisher
the African traveller; Meyer Kari
Rothschild, head of this noted family
of bankers; Generals Mcpherson and
Ulrich; Mary Cecil Hay, the author